Electrospraying is a deposition process in which a substance to be electrosprayed is passed through a charged syringe to form a very fine liquid aerosol or droplets. Electrospray techniques are generally used in the application of paints to metal surfaces. In particular, the fine spray is directed toward the metal surface and is attracted to the metal such that a smooth film of evenly distributed paint or coating is formed.
Recently, electrospraying has further been incorporated into drug delivery techniques. In this aspect, a drug may be combined with a solution prior to or after the solution is passed through a charged syringe. The electrosprayed solution including the drug may then be deposited in a specific shape for subsequent use in vivo. For example, the electrosprayed solution may be deposited in the shape of a skin patch or a dental prosthesis. The patch, for example, may then be placed upon a desired treatment site. In other cases, the electrosprayed solution may be sprayed directly on a treatment site, such as for example a surgical site. Thus, in the above described techniques, the electrosprayed solution is deposited specifically for a predetermined use and may not be collected and applied to other uses. In this aspect, a suitable substrate or body region for the desired use must be identified prior to depositing the material. In this aspect, uses of the electrodeposited materials are limited.